NASA's Celebrating Earth Day With The Most Mind-Blowing Photos Of Our Planet

What a beautiful place.

By Chris McGonigal

NASA
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter captured a unique view of Earth from the spacecraft's orbit around the moon.

Earth Day gives us a chance to reflect on the amazing planet we live on and how we can work together to preserve it. And there's no better way to see just how lucky we are than by getting a glimpse of Earth from space.

That's why NASA has compiled some of its favorite photos of the Blue Planet. The images, taken by astronauts and various spacecrafts, capture beautiful views of the world that few people can experience in person. They range from astronauts' social media posts to older images taken during earlier space missions.

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter captured this unique view of Earth from the spacecraft's orbit around the moon.33

Bahamas

NASA

An astronaut aboard the International Space Station took this photograph of small island cays in the Bahamas and the prominent tidal channels cutting between them.

Australia

NASA

During an International Space Station flyover of Australia, NASA astronaut Jeff Williams shared this colorful image of the northwestern Australian coastline with his social media followers on March 29, 2016.

Australia (2)

NASA

On Oct. 12-13, 2015, NASA astronaut Scott Kelly shared a series of seventeen photographs taken from the International Space Station during a flyover of Australia.

Italy, Alps, Mediterranean

NASA

Astronaut Tim Peake of the European Space Agency shared this stunning photograph with his social media followers on Jan. 25, 2016, writing, "Beautiful night pass over Italy, Alps and Mediterranean."

Florida Straits and Grand Bahama Bank

NASA

This photograph of the Florida Straits and Grand Bahama Bank was taken during the Gemini IV mission on June 4, 1965.

New Zealand

NASA

An aerial view of Egmont National Park in New Zealand.

Australia (3)

NASA

This photo of northern Australia, taken by the crew of Expedition 43 on board the International Space Station, captures the imagination with its brilliant blues and rugged cliffs.

Alaska

NASA

This image from the Operational Land Imager on the Landsat 8 satellite shows Alaska and Yukon's Hubbard Glacier on July 22, 2014.

South Africa

NASA

The remotely controlled Sally Ride EarthKAM aboard the International Space Station snapped this striking photograph of South Africa on Feb. 9, 2016.

Namib Desert, Africa

NASA

Image of the African dunes of the Namib Sand Sea taken by a member of the International Space Station Expedition 47 crew on March 27, 2016.

Great Lakes and Central U.S.

NASA/Barry Wilmore

ISS Expedition 42 Flight Engineer Barry Wilmore snapped this picture of the Great Lakes and central U.S. on Dec. 7, 2014.

Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal)

NASA

An ISS Expedition 40 astronaut took this early evening photo of the entire Iberian Peninsula on July 26, 2014. France is seen at the top of the image and the Strait of Gibraltar is visible at the bottom.

Saunders Island / Wolstenholme Fjord, Greenland

NASA/Michael Studinger

This image of Greenland's Saunders Island and Wolstenholme Fjord was taken during Operation IceBridge in April 2013.